Back in my little corner with Claire Daniels

Last week, when I sat down in the corner of the riding area in Bossiney, with Claire Daniels already on her home-bred Euro, a slightly unsettling thought entered my head. As much as I had been looking forward to being here again, Claire was now older than I was, when I first taught her all those many years ago and that made me feel old. I decided to shake that thought as quickly as it had arrived in order to concentrate on Claire and Euro, who was certainly full of it.

His mum, Bailey, gave Claire great fun during the years she evented her. I remember seeing them together for the first time after Claire had just bought her for not much money from David Stevens and thought: he missed the point here, this is a bloody good horse. But then Claire always did have a good eye for a horse, something she has in common with her husband Conker. They have bought many a project together over the years and done well.

As I was enjoying the playful Euro, at the same time trying to help Claire with keeping him straight and focused, I could not help but thinking about Drigan, as we called Bodrigan in daily life.

I bred her out of an Irish Draught type mare and with the national hunt sire Sousa as her dad. As she seemed to have a talent for jumping and certainly not for dressage, whereas her full sister Marie was the opposite, I had asked Claire to continue her training as I had reached my limit. Drigan was jumping sweetly with a natural feel, but it was time for the fences to go up.

I shall never forget the face of her dad Terry Dangar when he stood watching expectantly for Drigan to hop off the lorry. He liked an elegant horse and this Drigan was not. Terry actually looked disgusted. I decided not to say anything and left her there with the confidence Terry would soon be happy. One week later the phone rang. They could not believe the power of Drigan's jump. The rest is history.

Euro and Claire worked on their trot-canter transition in order to settle down the canter more as he gets a little overexcited which makes him change behind. He'd had quite a bit of time off and needed for the basics to be settled without getting bored. Not an easy task but I have always trusted Claire's endless patience.

Next was Paso, a small grey Dutch horse, a little shy but with a magnificent canter and an equally good jump. An interesting project as he never liked the right leg at all and Claire had to use every bit of imagination in order to get him to not turn himself into a banana when she would touch him. This had already improved a lot, so we were able to even start the counter canter with him. Funny, as he knew the flying change naturally. Hence the counter canter needed for Claire to be very clean and clear with her aids. He did great and it was time for coffee.

Whether it was the chestnut Charlie, Feathers from Tregembo with whom she competed into Advanced eventing, or all those many others we worked with together, I never got bored watching Claire ride. Devoted, stern but playful and always in a good mood. When many years ago I heard some young chap call her with the nickname 'Smiler' I thought that to be so true.

So, here we are again, gone full circle, the two kids Rio and Tia in school and us back doing what we love so much: me watching and Claire riding.

Top picture: Bodrigan after a few months with Claire Daniels

Bottom: Euro and Claire

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07Mar 16

Pinokkio is telling me: spring is not far off

It is the beginning of March and as always, we're all desperate for spring to arrive. Yesterday when I was brushing my little project turned friend Pinokkio, I saw to my delight the first few winter hairs letting go. However, this also has put me on alert as it inevitably will be going hand in hand with some horses changing their attitude temporarily and generally for the worst, which will make my job a little trickier for a little while. Some horses are more prone to this phenomenon than others; some become listless, others unreliable and a bit 'weird in the head'.

When you think of it, what a process, not only all that hair being released, but also a whole new summer coat has to be produced and installed. And that at a time that nature's food supply is at its poorest. It certainly is one of the toughest times of the year to be on top of our horse's diet and we have to be on alert to increase feeds in time, especially the ones living out. The fields are barren and chewed up and some horses can drop their weight overnight, which is of course nicely hidden by their rug.

But..... watch the weather forecast as the change can be quick and all of a sudden the grass is growing fast and soon there will be that lovely day when your horse will be begging you for its first roll without a blanket.... in the mud, of course! No better way than to get rid of some of that itchy winter coat.

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01Mar 16

An afternoon or two with Maarten van Stek

It was an exciting moment for me to meet Maarten van Stek again after all those years. He did not really know who I was as, those thirty years ago, I was just a spectator on crutches at a clinic he gave in the East of Holland. This one-armed man with his calm way of approach, which stuck to every horse and rider he worked with, made me so very greedy to overcome my own issues after an accident. Not only was Maarten an instructor on a mission, when he was riding you simply forgot there was an arm missing. It just looked so very beautiful.

A while ago I translated an article for website Horses International about a one-armed PSG rider on his way to Grand Prix and realized this was the very same guy. So I decided to overcome my shyness and contacted him. Mainly to thank him for the fact that all those years ago he was an important factor in my recovery which made it possible to become the rider and trainer I am now.

Maarten is a very kind man with no ego issues. Despite the fact he of course could not remember me, his answer was warm and inviting. So here I was, on his side, soon with his little dog Tootsie in my lap, as he was teaching in the indoor school of the Van Verre family in Empe. And boy, how nice to listen to his relaxed but alert way of teaching. The punctuality and technical precision, hand in hand with a healthy sense of humor and endless patience, always keeping in mind the emotional and physical well-being of both horse and rider. Treating part of the session as ridden physio with the result a happy horse, keen to up its game when gradually pushed into more challenging exercises.

When I thanked him he invited me to visit him at home and meet William, the horse he achieved so much with and of course I couldn't possibly refuse such an invite. So, the next week I took the train to Hoofddorp where Maarten collected me.

William lives in quite a big yard, but as soon as Maarten called his name, William's head appeared over his door with a happy snicker. As I stood watching Maarten brushing William, ready to help when asked, it was impossible to ignore the patient self-discipline Maarten has made his own in order to live a life for which most people think at times two hands aren't enough. Every door latch, every knot, every buckle, every brush stroke, mounting his horse, taking up the reins, the correct tension on the curb. My respect grew by the minute as I watched this man work.

Although William had been out in the paddock and also lunged, he had not been ridden for four days, because of having lost a shoe, which had only just been put back on. So obviously Maarten had to adjust their training session in order to deal with the vast amount of surplus energy. This is when I decided I was now definitely a groopie. I have seen so many competent riders not have the patience to restrain themselves on training days such as this. Maarten worked quietly away on.....straight lines. Using his own invention of riding diagonals from A or C to the corners of either side of the arena. Eventually using those lines for flying changes, finishing up with a very correct lot of one-timers.

A warm thank you to William with a relaxed long rein was followed by using the two-takt walk as a means to get into the piaffe.

On my way home, chewing over all I had seen, two things stuck out. Firstly, the ease with which the modern warmblood accepts the leg and rein tension to become soft and forward. It is built to do so and therefore the muscles and the brain don't make a big deal of it as it is easy for them. Most of the horses I work with in England need more of an 'in between time' in their early training development in order to be able to handle the pressure in a positive way. When ignoring this the chance is they become nappy.

Second, the use of the legs very forward, touching the muscles which make the horse pull up its belly. And once the horse is fully on the aids and using its core strength properly, the not involving the legs as much as guiding just with the reins when doing the exercises it knows. Of course! Eureka moment, I knew it, but had not said it in such a simple and uncomplicated way.

Uncomplicated, not exactly how you would see life with one arm. But that is how Maarten has made it somehow, which is so very striking and humbling. He proudly told me that, many years ago, he passed his first exam which involved bandaging. He was exempt from this phase, however, insisted on taking part. It involved teeth and knees but he passed... with a 9!

I'm hoping that I will get another chance to watch Maarten work. In those two meetings I learned so much. This I can pass on again to my own pupils and if they are lucky they get to meet the man himself not too long from now.

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Dressage Training

Dressage training needs variety, including pole work

About Liz Barclay

Her love for horses together with her dedication made her into the trainer and dressage rider she is, today. She is versatile and inventive and likes a challenge; whether it is a technical training question, a confidence issue or a problem involving the management of the horse or pony.

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